During the past year, until I found myself squeezed for time, I often posted lengthy death notices for mystery writers who’d recently passed away. Two that I regret not being able to do at the time were James Leasor and Madeleine L’Engle, whose deaths are mentioned in Part 19 of the Addenda.

   You’ll find a much longer obituary for Mr. Leasor by Ali Karim on The Rap Sheet blog, which I highly recommend you go read. Madeleine L’Engle is, of course, hardly best known for her crime or mystery fiction. She was a major figure in literature, probably with a capital L, even if much of it was written for (and enjoyed by) Young Adults.

   Michael Z. Lewin is still with us, perhaps I should hasten to add. He’s here only because of alphabetical propinquity — that plus some updating of the series characters who have appeared in his many mystery novels.

LEASOR, (THOMAS) JAMES. 1923-2007. Pseudonym: Andrew MacAllan, q.v. Under his own name, the author of over 20 crime and espionage adventures included in the (Revised) Crime Fiction IV. Called into service as a top British agent in nine of these novels and one story collection was Dr. Jason Love, otherwise an ordinary English country doctor. David Niven played the role in Where the Spies Are, a film based on Passport to Oblivion (Heineman, 1964). The unnamed owner of Aristo Autos narrated three of Leasor’s thrillers with racing car backgrounds, one of which Dr. Love also appeared. Another movie was based on The One That Got Away by Leasor and Kendal Burt (Collins/Michael Joseph, 1956), a non-fictional account of the only German who escaped a British POW camp.

      Who Killed Sir Harry Oakes? Heinemann, UK, hc, 1983. Houghton Mifflin, US, hc, 1983. Setting: Bahamas, 1943. [Novelized true crime.] Add: TV movie [2-part mini-series]: Picture Base International, 1989, as Passion and Paradise (scw: Andrew Laskos; dir: Harvey Hart).

L’ENGLE, MADELEINE. 1918-2007. Name at birth: Madeleine L’Engle Camp. Married actor Hugh Franklin in 1946. While the author of many books, best known for her Young Adult fiction, often of a science-fictional or fantasy nature. Of primary note is A Wrinkle in Time, winner of a Newbery Award, and its several sequels. Two of her works of fiction are included in the (Revised) Crime Fiction IV. See below.
      The Arm of the Starfish. Ariel Books, hc, 1965. Setting: Portugal. [A young college student who has been chosen to assist the famous Doctor O’Keefe in his experiments off the coast of Portugal soon finds himself an unwitting pawn in a dangerous game.]

      -A Severed Wasp. Farrar Straus & Giroux, hc, 1982. Farrar Straus & Giroux, UK, hc, 1984. Setting: New York City; church.

LEWIN, MICHAEL Z(INN). 1942- . Author of many detective novels taking place in Indianapolis IN; the primary sleuth is often PI Albert Samson, but appearing in both his cases and ones of their own are Lt. Leroy Powder and probation office Adele Buffington, who is Samson’s girl friend in his first seven books, but by the time of her own solo outing she has broken up with him. Even with the additional SC appearances for Lt. Powder listed below, this may not yet include all of them. A review of Night Cover (Knopf, 1976) here on this blog also discusses these characters and their various appearances. Add SC: Lunghi family = L. [Three generations of an Anglo-Italian family who own and operate a private investigation firm.]
      And Baby Will Fall. Morrow, hc, 1988. British title: Childproof. Macmillan, UK, hc, 1988. Setting: Indianapolis. Add: Leading character: Adele Buffington, who appears in smaller roles in many earlier novels.
      Called by a Panther. Mysterious Press, hc, 1991. Macmillan, UK, hc, 1991. SC: Albert Samson; add SC: Lt. Leroy Powder (in a minor role).

      _Childproof. Macmillan, UK, hc, 1988. See And Baby Will Fall.
      Family Business. Foul Play Press, US, hc, 1995. Constable, UK, hc, 1995. Setting: England. Add SC: L
      Family Planning. St. Martin’s, hc, 1999. Setting: Bath, England. Add SC: L

      Missing Woman. Alfred A. Knopf, hc, 1981. Robert Hale, UK, hc, 1992. SC: Albert Samson; add SC: Lt. Leroy Powder (in a minor role).
      The Silent Salesman. Alfred A. Knopf, hc, 1978. H. Hamilton, UK, hc, 1978. SC: Albert Samson; add SC: Lt. Leroy Powder (in a minor role).
      Underdog. Mysterious Press, hc, 1993. No Exit Press, UK, pb, 1995. Add SC: Lt. Leroy Powder.

MacALLAN, ANDREW. Pseudonym of (Thomas) James Leasor, q.v. To the one title previously included in the (Revised) Crime Fiction IV, add the five indicated by the dashes below as having only minimal crime content.
      -Diamond Hard. Headline, UK, 1991. Setting: South Africa.
      -Fanfare. Headline, UK, 1992. Setting: India, Afghanistan.
      Generation. Headline, UK, hc, 1990. Setting: Australia. “Only two voting shares stand between Trinity-Trio, one of the world’s greatest conglomerates, and a totally hostile takeover. The legendary tycoon they call The Australian will stop at nothing to secure them …”

      -Speculator. Headline, UK, 1993. Setting: Far East.
      -Succession. Headline, UK, 1989.
      -Traders. Headline, UK, 1994.